Library Services

S.M., 3L

Here at YLS, we are blessed to have an incredible resource in the Lillian Goldman Law Library. Always the heart of the school, the law library was the institution around which the law school was built in the nineteenth century, and it continues to be central to students today. During any visit to YLS, you’ll want to visit the main floor of the library to view its stunning architecture with high ceilings and brilliant lighting.

The library has an extensive collection of books on law but also covers diverse areas of social science and policy. The collection includes legal periodicals, microfilm, and pamphlets, as well as an extensive array of online legal databases. From the law library, students may order books from any of the other twenty-five campus libraries or from other universities through the BorrowDirect and interlibrary loan service. The interlibrary loan staff is very supportive and works to fulfill requests quickly. The librarians also assist students with research for their Substantial and Supervised Analytic Writing Papers and provide resources for the topic selection process.

There are many study spaces in the law school. The first two floors of the building provide small areas for study, while the third, fourth, and fifth floors contain carrels, which are assigned to 2Ls and 3Ls for the academic years. Both the second and the third floors contain computer kiosks for research. The library also houses Student Tech Support, which provides free laptop rental and computer repair services.

However, the library provides much more than research and academic support. In recent years, the circulation department has added many unusual collections for students. It is now possible to check out board games, DVDs, audio books, computer and iPod chargers, umbrellas, and earphones at the front desk. During the finals period, the library has even provided a therapy dog available at half-hour intervals. In all of these ways, the Lillian Goldman Law Library continues to be a central institution in the lives of YLS students!